What happens when five musicians from European, Chinese, and American backgrounds come together for a cross-cultural encounter? The result is the CD “The Flow of Things“ by the group “Sonic Calligraphy“ (with the Chinese-American jazz singer Peggy Chew and Swiss musicians Adrian Frey on piano and Willy Kotoun on percussion), and their special guests from China: jazz singer Coco Zhao from Shanghai and gu qin virtuoso Wu Na from Beijing.

Some highlights on the CD are interpretations of ancient Chinese poetry by Tang dynasty poet Li Bai written more than 1200 years ago as well as a poem by African-American poet Langston Hughes. Old Chinese folk songs are given a contemporary treatment with modal colors and rhythms. Original tunes written by Adrian Frey inspire free improvisations with a myriad of Asian and Western influenced sounds. The George Gershwin standard “Summertime“ is heard in a multimodal arrangment by pianist Adrian Frey with a wonderful gu qin solo by Wu Na.

“The Flow of Things“ presents a fascinating soundscape with its lively fusion of Eastern and Western elements.

1. The Orchid (Lan Hua Hua)

2. Autumn Reflection

3. The Flow Of Things

4. Song Of Travel

5. Summertime

6. Do It

7. Embroidered Purse

8. Heaven

9. ABC

“...A music, fragile, sometimes like porcelain. A music also where disparate cultures meet and merge. It works because the tangents are approached so delicately.“ Tages Anzeiger, Zurich, November 2010